Combination bottle cap seal and opener



J ly 1963 J. G. PANIAGUA 3,095,991

COMBINATION BOTTLE CAP SEAL AND OPENER Filed NOV. 17, 1961 INVENTOR. Jm/v G. A/V/AGUA Avon/5Y5.

United States Patent 3,095,991 COMBINATION BOTTLE CAP SEAL AND OPENER Juan Garcia Paniagua, Tepeyac 121 Col. Leon Moderno, Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico Filed Nov. 17, 1961, Ser. No. 153,028 3 Claims. (Cl. 215-40) This invention relates to a combination bottle cap seal and opener, and has as its primary object the provision of an improved opener which is permanently secured to a capped bottle, such as a container for ginger ale, Coca- Cola, or other soft or carbonated drink.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of such an opener in combination with a seal which fits within the cap of the bottle, and takes the place of the conventional cork seal of this nature.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is formed of a single piece of material, preferably of plastic, which is so arranged that by a simple pull on the handle of the opener and tilting the same upward to an angle of approximately 45 the bottle may be readily opened.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character wherein the seal and opener comprise an integral part of the bottle assembly, and wherein, when not in use, the handle of the opener lies flush against the body or neck of the bottle.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawings.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the combination bottle opener and seal shown as disassociated from the bottle.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the seal and opener, parts thereof being broken away.

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the structure as shown in FIG. 2.

FIGURE 4 is a modified form of construction similar to FIG. 3.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view showing the combined bottle cap and opener in position between a bottle and bottle cap, the cap and bottle being indicated in dotted lines FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of 'FIG. '1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the center line of the seal showing a modification in the opener.

FIGURES 8, 9, and 10 are views similar to FIG. 3 but disclosing modifications of structure.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, the combination of a seal and opener is generally indicated at 20 and comprises two parts: the seal generally indicated at 21 and an opener handle generally indicated at 2.2. The seal may take the form of that shown in my co-pending application entitled, Bottle Cap Seal and filed of even date herewith, and comprises a disc 23 of plastic or the like having an annular rim 24 about its upper side and a series of frusto-conical projections 25 which decrease in height and diameter from the center of the seal toward the rim. The underside of the seal is provided with one or more concentric deformable sealing rings 26 adapted to engage the rim R of the bottle B when the cap C and seal 21 are positioned thereon. In FIG. 3 a single annular ring 26 is shown 3,fi-95,991 Patented July 2, 1963 while in FIG. 4 there are disclosed three concentric rings 27 which are operable on the same principle.

A plurality of plastic guide members 28 are provided on the underside of disc 23 and serve to center the device when it is positioned in the bottle B.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 there are three of the members 28 disposed at angles of 120 to each other.

The opener per se 22 is best shown in FIG. 1 and includes a shank 30 having a bend 31 therein outwardly to conform to the configuration of a normal bottle and a first inwardly extending bend 32 which is positioned immediately beneath the rim of the cap. A second inwardly extending bend 33 is positioned on the opposite side of the outer bend 3'1 and serves initially as a fulcrum when the opener is lifted by means of the annular ring 34 at its end which is adapted for the insertion of a finger therein. A small metallic reinforcement 35 extends through the plastic of the handle portion 32 at a point immediately adjacent the lower rim of the cap C where the greatest pressure is exerted on the opener, so that by pulling the opener to an angle of approximately 45 the rim of the cap may be released from the top of the bottle, and the device readily removed therefrom.

FIGURES 8, 9, and 10 show the underside of a plurality of caps 21A, 21B, and 21C, respectively. The cap 21A has four members 28A corresponding to the members .28 and serving as guides disposed at angles to each other and a single sealing rim 26A corresponding to the rim 26. In the form shown in FIG. 9, five guide partitions 28B are provided surrounded by a sealing ring 263 while in the form shown in FIG. 10 a rim 26C surrounds a star-shaped configuration 28C which may be solid, or which may be formed with a hollow interior as desired.

Obviously, other suitable configurations of guide member may be employed as deemed necessary.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved combination bottle cap seal and opener which accomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A bottle seal and opener comprising, in combination, a substantially annular sealing disc disposed between the top of a bottle and a cap therefor, said sealing disc having integral guide means dependingly positioned upon and extending from one side thereof and into a bottle for centering the sealing disc with respect thereto, integral deformable seal means positioned upon the one side of said sealing disc and substantially adjacent the periphery thereof, said deformable seal means being in engagement with the top of a bottle, and a series of frusto-conical projections integral with said sealing disc and extending from another side thereof oppositely disposed with respect to said one side, said projections being in engagement with a cap, said deformable seal means being deformed into engagement with the top of a bottle as the cap thereof is superimposed with respect to said sealing disc and the projections extending from the other side thereof, and an opener integral with said sealing disc, said opener being disposed in angular relationship with respect to said sealing disc and being of such configuration as to lie flush with respect to the exterior of a bottle and in conformance with the exterior configurations thereof.

2. A bottle seal and opener as defined in claim 1, wherein said opener comprisesa metal insert positioned therein and extending transversely thereof, said metal insert being engageable with a substantial portion of the periphery of a bottle cap when the opener is actuated to remove said cap therefrom, whereby to preclude rupture of the opener during actuation thereof.

3. A bottle seal and opener as defined in claim 2, wherein the configuration of said opener comprises a plurality of bends positioned therein, at least one of said bends extending in a direction oppositely disposed with respect to the remainder thereof, whereby said opener is disposed in flush relationship with respect to the exterior of a bottle and in conformance with the exterior configurations thereof until actuation thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Schramm May 12, 1914 Hartwell Mar. 5, 1935 Bloomfield Nov. 16, 1948 Lazarevich June =19, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Apr. 25, 1957 France Sept. 15, 1958 France July 6, 1959 Great Britain July 22, 1959 France Sept. 21, 1959 

1. A BOTTLE SEAL AND OPENER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A SUBSTANIALLY ANNULAR SEALING DISC DISPOSED BETWEEN THE TOP OF A BOTTLE AND A CAP THEREFOR, SAID SEALING DISC HAVING INTEGRAL GUIDE MEANS DEPENDINGLY POSITIONED UPON AND EXTENDING FROM ONE SIDE THEREOF AND INTO A BOTTLE FOR CENTERING THE SEALING DISC WITH RESPECT THERETO, INTEGRAL DEFORMABLE SEAL MEANS POSITIONED UPON THE ONE SIDE OF SAID SEALING DISC AND SUBSTANTIALLY ADJACENT THE PERIPHERY THEREOF, SAID DEFORMABLE SEAL MEANS BEING IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TOP OF A BOTTLE, AND A SERIES OF FRUSTO-CONICAL PROJECTIONS INTEGRAL WITH SAID SEALING DISC AND EXTENDING FROM ANOTHER SIDE THEREOF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO SAID ONE SIDE, SAID PROJECTIONS BEING IN ENGAGEMENT WITH A CAP, SAID DEFORMABLE SEAL MEANS BEING DEFORMED INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TOP OF A BOTTLE AS THE CAP THEREOF IS SUPERIMPOSED WITH RESPECT TO SAID SEALING DISC AND THE PROJECTIONS EXTENDING FROM THE OTHER SIDE THEREOF, AND AN OPENER INTEGRAL WITH SAID SEALING DISC, SAID OPENER BEING DISPOSED IN ANGULAR RELATIONSHIP WITH RESEPCT TO SAID SEALING DISC AND BEING OF SUCH CONFIGURATION AS TO LIE FLUSH WITH RESPECT TO THE EXTERIOR OF A BOTTLE AND IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE EXTERIOR CONFIGURATIONS THEREOF. 